Lineage
by Novadestin
Summary: These are the stories of Hogwarts and the family that called it home.
1. Part One: Foundation

**Lineage**

**Warnings:** Strong Violence, Sensitive Topic/Issue/Theme

**Era:** Various **Pairings: **Various Pairing

**Characters:** OCs, Helga, Voldemort, Regulus, Lucius, Fenrir, Hermione, Other Canon

**Summary:**

*Written for smileandfrown's 'Quote' challenge on HPFF* _These are the stories of Hogwarts and the family that called it home.__

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_

**Part One: Foundation**

*Written for the OoYR (Outside of Your Realm) Challenge on HPFF* When you grow up believing witchcraft is the seed of the devil, how do you handle a fairytale world that offers you a true home?

Founders Era: Annabelle

_Knowledge is gained by learning; Trust by doubt; skill by practice; love by love. - T__homas Szasz_

_**Annabelle**_

*The start of this lineage, for the remaining family trees please see the images section in my profile*

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This was a historic day, a historically secret day. While there should have been a grand celebration, a public spectacle to announce the school's wondrous opening, there was only a small ceremony. A basic cake and wine ceremony just didn't seem to work for Annabelle. After everything she had learned in the last few months, she had expected something well…magical. Something like the first time she had seen Helga.

That had been a little more than four months ago. Helga Hufflepuff had walked through her orphanage doors dressed in a bright, crisp yellow dress and it had been hard to look at anything but her face. Yet her warm smile almost eclipsed the color of her dress and Annabelle had found her fascinating. From the little she saw of Helga, she imagined her as a good fairy, like in the stories their headmistress would tell them before bed.

Annabelle so wanted to be chosen when her headmistress had trotted them all out in front of Helga in the play yard, to go with this good fairy from somewhere that just had to be as bright and sunny as her dress. Anywhere was better than this run-down orphanage. Well, not so much run-down as forgotten. The king had cut off the headmistress' funding a year ago because two girls under her roof had been linked with the Diana worshippers that plagued their village.

The only thing that allowed them to stay open was the generous donations of Mr. Davies, a wealthy land baron who had a soft spot for children and visited whenever he was in the area. Even the pickpockets and thieves among them respected Mr. Davies.

Annabelle was one of those children; well at least she was called as such. She had been sent to the orphanage when she was caught stealing some apples from a vendor in the market. She hadn't wanted to but she needed to eat and those that had money to spare were not usually generous with it.

Yet at this moment, Annabelle was trying not to think about any of that. Not about her ill-begotten title, not about never seeing Mr. Davies again, not even about how she only really wanted to be adopted because she wanted to escape this place before they tried to accuse her of being the child of a witch. The only thing she was trying to think of was how to impress the yellow lady who was slowly moving down the row towards her.

The woman wasn't asking any questions about the children she passed, simply holding out a small stone and waiting for them to touch it. Sometimes the stone did nothing and sometimes it seemed to glow. The color was a deep yellow and almost matched her dress so Annabelle wasn't quite sure she was seeing it. She looked to the headmistress to see if she had any answers, but found that the headmistress didn't seem to notice. Had she seen the stone supposedly glowing, she surely would have called the king's knights at once. So Annabelle just passed it off as a coincidence of pretty sunlight and crisp yellow silk.

When it finally came for her to touch the stone, she took note it was a topaz, only slightly darker than Helga's other jewelry. 'This woman must really like yellow things,' was Annabelle's only thought as she placed her hand on what she thought would be a cold stone. Yet the surface was warm, not from twenty hands brushing it but from the stone itself. As the yellowish glow began to emit from the stone, Annabelle pulled her hand away quickly.

This was surely witchcraft, surely the headmistress must know. Yet she only stood quietly behind the woman, sometimes nodding her head as if she was hearing words Annabelle did not. She looked back to the woman before her and Helga smiled her warm smile before moving down to the rest of the children. The stone didn't glow for any of them and Annabelle looked back down the row to those it had.

Michael Smith, Cassandra Finnigan, Mary Beth Spinnet, William Brown, and Jonathon Flint were all looking back at her. The stone had glowed for each of them in turn and now they were all wondering what it meant. All the other kids seemed antsy and wanted to go back to playing, but Annabelle and the others wanted to run to Helga, wanted to ask her what was happening.

Mary Beth was afraid she was a witch hunter and that the stone had pointed them out. Yet Jonathon Flint didn't think Helga was as she seemed, far too sweet and motherly. Besides, he told them, they would never send a woman to handle dangerous sinners. That was surely something only the men of the cloth could do.

Annabelle couldn't decide as she listened to the others that had gathered around her after Helga and the headmistress had walked back inside. The stone frightened her as a tool to show evil but how could such a woman like Helga Hufflepuff want to hurt them? Annabelle could see nothing beyond her sunny smile and good fairy-like appearance.

Michael Smith and Jonathon Flint were arguing over whom was right as the others joined in. Cassandra and William sided with Jonathon, saying it was nothing but a trick of the light. None of them denied that she already had a glow about her with such a bright dress. Michael and Mary Beth turned to Annabelle in hopes of convincing her that they were in danger. They wanted to run away before they could be taken to the gallows like the other children had been.

Annabelle was near tears, her good fairy was an evil witch and now she had to run away before they could send her away to be killed. The other children were ignoring them as if nothing had happened and when Helga and the headmistress returned to the play yard, Annabelle and the others huddled into a small group. They didn't know what to do and just stood there silently as the headmistress called for them.

Helga's sweet smile seemed to be turned up now and her words were a comfort as she explained to them that she would like them all to come live with her. Annabelle's fears slipped away from her and they all followed Helga back inside to gather their things. It was an odd feeling to go from being terrified to being excited within minutes. Mary Beth, although just as excited, whispered that it must be a spell as they walked out the front door to Helga's awaiting carriage.

Even if it was, there was nothing they could do about it and when the carriage pulled up to a large estate several hours away, Annabelle wondered when her good mood would turn to terror again. It was something she did not want to believe would happen, but if her good fairy was an evil witch then she would probably never be able to do anything about it under her wicked spells.

Once they had been shown the estate and had settled into their rooms, Helga asked them to join her in the dining room. It was a beautiful place but Annabelle felt very uncomfortable when she saw Helga's servant lock the door. He must be under a spell too she had decided and gripped Mary Beth's hand for comfort. Helga set out tea for them and said she wanted them to relax. Only Jonathon and Cassandra took their cups, the others were too afraid of being drugged.

Helga took a sip from her own cup and smiled at them from across the table. She seemed reluctant to say what she had planned and Annabelle pleaded with her ears to go deaf.

"You're a witch!" Mary Beth shouted and jumped up, "you plan to murder us for your disgraceful master!" She backed away from the others and collapsed in a corner behind a china cabinet.

The others all had their eyes fixed on Helga, who had set her cup down and sighed. "Yes, I am."

The other children jumped up and joined Mary Beth in the corner. "Please don't be afraid. I don't mean you any harm; in fact I only wish to save you."

"Save us?" Michael yelled. "Is that what you call murdering us?" He stood in front of the girls along with William and Jonathon. At only eleven years old, Annabelle thought they were very brave.

"I don't plan on murdering anyone; I am not a dark witch. I simply plan to send you to school."

That is how it all started. Helga explained that they were all witches and wizards who she was trying to protect from what she called the "Muggle" authorities. She wanted to send them to a special school that she and her friends had created that would allow them to truly be themselves.

Of course, several objected, saying they couldn't possibly be witches or wizards. Yet Helga continued her explanations well into the night about how they were orphans and probably were never given the chance to hear this from their own parents. That and some of them were "Muggle-born," something which caused another lengthy discussion about how a witch or wizard could be born to "Muggles."

Helga explained that in time she hoped to help all young witches and wizards attend the school she called "Hogwarts" but for now she could not risk speaking to Muggles about how their children were magical.

For now she could only help orphans who did not have a family to deal with. This kept the amount of "SINNER!" comments to a minimum. Something that Annabelle understood all too well having grown up in that world. But now she was home, well at least until she was seventeen, as she stood on the grounds of the newly opened Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Helga Hufflepuff stood before her and the other hundreds of students on the stone steps leading to the castle's front doors. Next to her stood three figures, each just as much a character as she was. After looking them over it was no wonder they had sent Helga to see the children in "Muggle" villages. Even with her stand out color scheme, she seemed the most pleasant of the bunch.

A man dressed in black and green had a face that no child could love. He reminded Annabelle of the pompous land baron who lived down the way from Mr. Davies and hated children. He was a man not to be crossed and judging by the irritated look on this man's face, he was probably the same.

The woman next to him, although having the same type of face as her companion, had the demeanor of Helga. Yet her fancy blue dress and silver diadem portrayed a haughty image, one that Annabelle hoped was just her imagination.

The only person on the stairs that she got a good impression of was the man that stood next to Helga. He was dressed in red robes which matched his reddish brown hair almost perfectly. He reminded Annabelle of a great knight come to save the princess, that of course being the blue woman on his other side. And the dark looking man must be the evil sorcerer. This was all such a fairy tale to her.

Helga had explained to them all what the procedures of this school would be and Annabelle knew she would be taught under one of these four great characters. Four great founders of the most magical school the world had ever seen. Well that's at least what Annabelle thought, she was so new to all of this.

As she looked around to the other soon to be students in the crowd she felt like the only novice. Most were standing with their parents who wore such pronounced 'witchy' clothing that she again thought this had to be a dream.

Mary Beth took her hand nervously as they walked up the stone steps and into the grand entrance. As they passed Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga had told them their names, she smiled down at them and Annabelle could almost make out the words written across her diadem. It was such a beautiful treasure and she seemed like a princess wearing it around the castle. Mary Beth even asked her if she was while they were on their way to their very first lesson on magic ever.

It seemed so odd to Annabelle, having grown up in a world where magic was a sin and was punishable by death, to actually be attending a school for which she could go to hell for. Yet Helga had set all their minds at ease on the long ride up to the castle and even Mary Beth had agreed to come, someone Annabelle surely thought would run at the first chance. But she seemed almost as attentive as Annabelle when Helga, her new house mistress, started their first lesson on the history of magic.

"Knowledge is gained by learning; trust by doubt; skill by practice; love by love. That is what we hope to teach you here and something we hope you take beyond these walls."


	2. Part Two: Stonework

**Lineage**

**Warnings:** Strong Violence, Sensitive Topic/Issue/Theme

**Era:** Various **Pairings: **Various Pairing

**Characters:** OCs, Helga, Voldemort, Regulus, Lucius, Fenrir, Hermione, Other Canon

**Summary:**

*Written for smileandfrown's 'Quote' challenge on HPFF* _These are the stories of Hogwarts and the family that called it home.__

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_

**Part Two: Stonework**

Why do our fondest memories lead to our most horrid nightmares?

Riddle Era: Taylor

_**Author's Note:** Thank you to roughgem for thinking up "abalienatio" which is Latin for "transfer of property."_

_All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. -__Walt Disney_

*For the family tree please see the images section in my profile*

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There was no mistaking that a storm was coming. The sky held no rain, but the air was muggy and the clouds were dark. Taylor needed to find a place to rest for the evening before he got caught in it. The idea was not something his horse would object to as they had been riding all day and both were near exhaustion.

It was not a method of transportation Taylor preferred, but in today's age it was sometimes the only way to get to your destination. On this particular journey he had traveled by all means, wizard and Muggle alike. Now he was using a horse because a car could not travel down these forgotten back roads and using any form of wizard transportation in the Muggle world was strictly forbidden, there was a war going on after all.

As they both rode towards the nearest town, a slow rolling thunder rang over their heads and his horse jerked sideways in protest. Taylor tried to calm her down but she always got skittish with storms the owner had told him. When he finally pulled her back around, Taylor caught sight of the town sign and read it over curiously. He needed to be sure that it would be agreeable for him to stay. While no sign ever read "Wizards Welcome" in the Muggle world, he needed to make sure they didn't say "sinners unwelcome" in its place.

'Welcome to Little Hangleton. Home of the prosperous and gentle Riddle family.' Taylor laughed. This could not be the same Riddle he was imagining; his Riddle was anything but gentle. The Riddle he knew was Tom, an arrogant boy who always thought of himself as the top of the class. In truth he had been the top of everything he tried, but Taylor never stopped believing that he was a cheating coward.

They had gone to school together several years ago and if memory served then Tom should have just finished his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yet Taylor couldn't imagine why Tom would want to go back to any Muggle place he was linked to. He had always spoken on his home at a Muggle orphanage with such distaste that Taylor often wondered when they would hear news of something terrible happening there. Tom was, after all, an emblematic Slytherin.

After stabling his horse, Taylor walked across the dirt road to the local inn. He could not help noticing that the streets were empty. Perhaps this town had early evenings and everyone was already asleep. Or perhaps it was the on coming storm which seemed to fill the air with electricity. He pushed open the doors of the inn and found only three seats at the bar, strangely named the Hanged Man, were occupied. One was by the innkeeper who sat counting the day's till and the other two must have been tenants as they both walked upstairs at the sight of him.

Taylor glanced down at himself as well, thinking he didn't look that strange. The black and yellow robes he wore had been tailored to match that of modern Muggle wear and all of his wizarding contraptions were well hidden. It must just be the magical aura about him; his mother had always said he showed great magical ability.

Yet now was not the time to think about magic, even with the witch trials over, the Muggle world was a dangerous place for any magic user. Taylor kept that in mind as he arranged with the innkeeper to stay the night. As he was lead upstairs to a room, Taylor asked about the Riddle family mentioned on the town sign.

The innkeeper looked him over a moment and then fell into praising the Riddles as a wonderful family. As he carried on, Taylor wondered how much of his speech was memorized and how much was thought up on the spot. There was an empty feeling to his words and Taylor could not believe any of it. Just like he could never believe his Tom Riddle was as clever and perfect as everyone else seemed to think. Yet when the man mentioned the father's name was Tom, Taylor glanced up and asked about a son.

The man went silent for amount, as if very nervous to even think about him, but then picked right back up with a fanciful tale about how their son had gone off on some great adventure in the country to learn about the world and had now returned. Taylor held his composure until the man left him in the room and then he gave a mocking laugh to the whole lot of it.

If this was indeed the Riddle family that belonged to his Tom Riddle then Tom must have lied to him while they were at school. He had always told everyone that he grew up in a 'Muggle' orphanage and had no family to go back too. Yet, perhaps he didn't know. Perhaps these were his birth parents who had had another child which they named Tom as well.

Whatever twisted tale of mystery and magic was at work here, Taylor didn't care enough to dig into it any further. He had his own work to do for his family's honor and had to get some sleep before another long day of riding. But before he climbed into the uncomfortable looking bed, Taylor wanted to relax and have a good drink.

So he repackaged up all his belongings into his small satchel and headed down to the bar to order a drink from the barkeeper, who of course was the same man as the innkeeper. This must really be a small town Taylor thought as he took a drink. It wasn't as good as the firewhiskey his father had liked, but it would suffice.

Taylor wanted to celebrate; his mission had been a success. He had uncovered Helga Hufflepuff's famous cup from the hands of the ignoble Goblins and would now hand it over to **Hepzibah** Smith, who had promised to honor it in her well guarded collection while they made the arrangements to donate it to Hogwarts. It seemed like the only proper home for the treasure of such a beautifully spirited woman. The yellow fairy was what his ancestors had always called her.

Taylor drank another cup of whatever the barkeep had placed in front of him and smiled happily. The barkeep asked what he could be so happy about with a war going on and Taylor just smiled; leave it to the Muggles to start a war that covered the whole world…again.

"I have been on a mission that turned into a success so I wish to celebrate," Taylor said and raised his glass in a one man toast.

"What kind of mission?" asked a new voice. One that Taylor sorely recognized. It was not one he had ever expected to hear again.

He turned to see Tom Riddle standing in the doorway. He had made no attempts to change his appearance and still wore his school robes, the Slytherin patch showing proudly on his chest.

"Hello Tom," Taylor said solemnly and set his glass down, "come to visit your family?"

"My family?" Tom asked, seemingly perplexed. Taylor was never sure with him.

"The barkeep here was telling me a wondrous tale about the 'prosperous and gentle' Riddle family," Taylor indicated the man behind the bar who stepped back into the shadows nervously.

"Yes well," Tom huffed himself up slightly and Taylor laughed to himself, "he must have been referring to my father and grandfather, we all have the same filthy name."

"Sure," Taylor replied nonchalantly and took another drink. Tom was a very pretentious man and Taylor was really not in the mood to let him ruin the evening.

"And what brings you here Taylor? Shouldn't you be at home with your wife?" Tom was condescending and bringing up his wife, who was expecting their first child, was a low blow.

"I had something I needed to get done. I will be returning shortly. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an early morning," Taylor excused himself from the bar and paid for his drinks.

"Don't wish to join your old school friend for a drink?" Tom asked, twisting Taylor's arm in the figurative sense. It would prove him the lesser man if he did not accept.

"I hardly think we were friends Tom, but I shall join you for one drink," Taylor sighed and indicated a table away from the ears of the barkeep.

"One drink is all I ask," smirked Tom and grabbed them from the counter before sitting across from Taylor.

Taylor spoke first, wanting to steer the direction of the conversation, "how are things at Hogwarts these days? I heard there was some trouble with one of the students in the Daily Prophet."

Tom gave a small laugh and Taylor disliked it. "Yes, the oaf Hagrid was expelled for the murder of a Mud- … Muggle-born."

Taylor held his expression of casualness at Tom's semi-slip of the tongue but he could not believe what he was hearing. "Murder? Surely not at Hogwarts."

"I caught him myself, trying to hide his giant pet spider. Terrible thing really, girl died in a bathroom. How pathetic." Tom shook his head.

"Death, in any sense, is not pathetic Tom." Taylor did not like his chipper attitude and he moved to leave.

"What's that?" Tom asked suddenly and grabbed his arm. Taylor jerked it away and found Tom suddenly solemn, attentive.

Taylor looked down at himself and realized that part of the badger on his new treasure was showing. It must have slipped from its protective coverings while he was riding.

"It's nothing," he said quickly and tucked it away, "merely a gift for a friend."

"That gift bears the mark of Helga Hufflepuff," said Tom, highly interested.

"Lots of things do these days Tom. My school cloak still does, or have you forgotten that was my house?" Tom smirked, "naturally I would be honored by anything bearing her mark."

"Yes," Tom stood up and Taylor placed his hand over his wand, ready for a fight, "your family was discovered by her wasn't it? The great family of Davies, found in a Muggle orphanage by Helga Hufflepuff and asked to attend the school's first year. Or is that just what you like to claim?"

"How dare you," Taylor started but was cut off by the barkeep.

"If you two are gonna fight then take it outside," he yelled to them angrily. Taylor told him not to bother with them, that he was leaving. Anywhere near Tom Riddle is a place he did not want to be.

Taylor gave the barkeep back his room key and walked out the door to get his horse. He did not turn to look back at Tom nor at the sudden burst of light that he saw reflected in the windows across the street. Something was wrong and he did not want to stay to see it get worse.

"Taylor Davies," the voice was calm and close by, but he did not turn around.

"What have you done Tom?" he asked, moving closer to his horse. The soft and yet thunderous sound of Tom's voice in his ears meant he was too close to simply Apparate away. Taylor knew he needed more distance between them so that Tom could not grab hold of him as he tried to escape.

"I have committed murder," the voice remained calm and Taylor stopped, "now you will give me the cup of Helga Hufflepuff or you shall be next."

"Why are you doing this?" Taylor asked, wanting at least a small bit of justification for his death; something he felt was now assured.

He had survived his great adventure to recover the illustrious treasure of Helga Hufflepuff only to die at the hands of an overzealous child. Irony was a cruel playmate.

"I am seeing all my dreams beginning to come to fruition because I have the courage to pursue them." Tom seemed like deluded youth, but Taylor knew better then to underestimate him. Even with their age and skill differences, Tom was the more powerful wizard.

"Dreams to be a killer?" What had happened in the four years since he had left school? Hogwarts, his beloved school, had somehow produced something vile that would now be his undoing. Taylor knew the voice and the face, but this was not the Tom he had known.

"Dreams to be the master of the world, wizard and Muggle alike, as I was always meant to be." Tom sounded a bit like the crazed Grindelwald that he had read about in the Daily Prophet and Taylor wondered if that was how he would grow up to be.

What a sad existence and pitiful ending awaited him; he actually felt sorry for the man who would murder him.

Taylor knew he was a dead man; it was something he had come to terms with. Even if he gave Tom the cup, there was no way Tom would let him live knowing he would head straight to the Ministry.

Slowly, silently, Taylor reached inside his coat. He knew Tom was watching him and he probably believed that he would hand over the cup without a struggle. Yet it was Taylor's wand that was in his hand when he turned.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Abalienatio!"

While Tom's wand had been pointed at him, his wand was not pointed back. Taylor had turned his wand on himself. It was not himself he was aiming at but the small satchel of possessions he had under his coat.

As Tom rushed forward, Taylor fell. The spell had hit him dead center in the chest and now he lay dead on the cold earth. But there was a smile on his face and Tom cursed when he found that it was the cup Taylor had aimed for. Now he would have to track down where he had sent it. Now he would have to keep an eye on the Davies clan.


	3. Part Three: Gatehouse

**Lineage**

**Warnings:** Strong Violence, Sensitive Topic/Issue/Theme

**Era:** Various **Pairings: **Various Pairing

**Characters:** OCs, Helga, Voldemort, Regulus, Lucius, Fenrir, Hermione, Other Canon

**Summary:**

*Written for smileandfrown's 'Quote' challenge on HPFF* _These are the stories of Hogwarts and the family that called it home.__

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_

**Part Three: Gatehouse**

It was their birthright…it seemed only fitting they should die for it.

Marauders Era: Edgar

_**Authors Note:**__ The credit for Wilkes' first name goes to Miss Flames fan :) All the characters listed in this part are very carefully placed based on either when they died (Order members) or when they were caught (Death Eaters). Also, this part is very dark and features some moments that might shock certain people. Don't let your mind wonder ok?_

_Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom. - __Hannah Arendt_

*For the family tree please see the images section in my profile*

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The cup was there, on the mantle, like some sort of trophy; as if they had actually won it by killing Hepzibah Smith. It was all rather insulting.

Edgar averted his eyes and pulled his hood farther down his face as two more Death Eaters walked into the room. This was hardly the time to think about how unfair the situation was.

Alastor stood across the table from him, flanked by Dorcas Meadows and Caradoc Dearborn just as he was between Marlene McKinnon and Benjy Fenwick. They all had their hoods pulled down just even to cast a shadow over their faces but not enough to draw suspicion.

He needed to focus his thoughts on the mission because now, there was no backing out. The danger of this task was unfolding with each passing second and while it wasn't Voldemort that led this campaign, his right hand, the vile Lucius Malfoy, was to be just as feared.

Even at such a young age, he was already valued as one of the Dark Lord's most faithful. The stories of what he had been asked to do to prove his loyalty were chilling, even to trained Aurors. And to think that now he was there to coordinate the next attacks on hundreds of Muggle-borns. One man should never be in that position, should never have that kind of power.

"Sit down all of you," Lucius said curtly and fell into a chair himself.

Edgar was somewhat pleased that he wasn't in a good mood; at least he wouldn't get any enjoyment out of this meeting. Yet, what he knew of Lucius only made him half smile. He might not be one for planning, but he was lovingly callous to his victims.

"The Dark Lord is not pleased," several of the Death Eaters around them cringed. "Our missions have been successful, but not in the manner our great master wishes. The information coming to us is not enough, we must restrain ourselves from killing before we get every last drop of news out of them."

Edgar looked around the room. He did not know the names or faces of most of the people before him, as many had their hoods pulled down just as low as his, but he could see several clench their fists in irritation.

"Our posts do not grant us free rein over murder, we still have a job to do." With that, Lucius plunged into the news of the Dark Lord's latest, twisted plans. All the information the Order of the Phoenix had been waiting for.

Edgar took note that the list of names he was hearing was almost all the ones he had gone to school with, some being his close friends. However, the plans only focused on the families outside of Voldemort's favored Slytherin house.

It was no surprise. With Albus Dumbledore as Headmaster of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, teaching the students to oppose the Dark Lord's views, Voldemort had rightly come to despise the man they called '_the only man You-Know-Who fears_.' His attacks on those connected to the school were his method of chipping away at Dumbledore's statement that the place was '_in safe hands_.'

The Order had heard talk that they were planning to place a spy in the school and sometimes wondered if one was already there. Several instances had already occurred where information only talked about on the grounds of the well protected school had become public knowledge to their enemies. Minerva's trip to Romania, Hagrid's offering to the giants, both sabotaged by an unknown party.

For now however, the end of the conflict was not within reach and both sides could only hope for small victories. Death Eaters would kill a Muggle-born, the Order would save another…it was a never ending vicious circle at times.

One Edgar would be happy to see laid to rest. It wasn't a pretty job, listening to this; people joking about the murders they had committed all because their victims had 'dirty blood.'

As they laughed away, the Order slowly moved back into the shadows. They had the information they wanted and now it was time to escape with their lives. However, for Edgar, it was time to escape with something else.

It would be a long while before they realized it was missing and would probably blame one of their own. He saw no draw back in taking back stolen property and so, carefully removed the cup from the mantle as he followed the others out of the room.

Once they all safely reached the gates of the Malfoy estate, they disapparated to meet the other members of the Order and quickly went over all the details of what they had seen before placing their memories carefully into Dumbledore's Pensieve.

Plans were put into action. That very night all the names they had heard would change. The owners would disappear and the Death Eaters would not be able to harm them. Edgar had lost count of how many Fidelius Charms had been cast already.

But he didn't want to think about that now. His work was done and he wanted to share his fortune with his family. So long they had wondered what happened to Taylor, his uncle. Ever since the cup had appeared on his aunt's bed…they knew what it meant. It meant he was never coming home. They never found his body, even after long hours of searching, and that left them unable to answer the question of why.

His aunt and mother had always claimed the cup was cursed and that, with the death of Hepzibah, even more so. Yet Edgar never put faith in a curse and now he knew it had all been the work of Lord Voldemort. Finally they would know why, finally the cup was back in the rightful hands of his Hufflepuff lineage.

As he stepped up to his front door, Edgar thought of how his wife, Melissa, would react. He knew the last thing she would want would be to have a marked object in the house so Edgar decided to just stop in and tell her that he was alright before he took the cup to Dumbledore.

Yet when he pushed the door open, the house was dark. There was no one waiting for him in the front room, no cries of 'you're ok!' to greet him. Something was wrong.

That was the last thing he remembered.

When Edgar opened his heavy eye lids again, he could only make out the blurred shapes of people. One large, dark figure paced between him and several smaller ones huddled together on the other side of the room.

"Crucio!" The word filled his ears and he was sick with the screams that followed. It was Melissa.

That was when Edgar realized the dark figure in front of him was not pacing, it was circling. Circling his innocent wife and torturing her. As his vision became more focused, Edgar looked to the three children huddled terrified across the room. His children.

"Oh you're awake," the voice was menacingly sweet and he knew who it was instantly.

"Lucius, leave my family out of this," Edgar said as calmly as he could manage. It wasn't very convincing.

"Oh please Lucius! Don't hurt my family, my precious family!" mocked a female Death Eater who Edgar knew to be Bellatrix Lestrange, "you see? This is why Rodolphus and I don't have children. It makes you pathetic and weak."

The other Death Eaters snickered and Edgar estimated there were about seven of them.

"It's not for lack of trying though is it?" another Death Eater remarked impishly, obviously her husband Rodolphus Lestrange.

"Enough about your seamy love life; return this to the Dark Lord and inform him that I have dealt with the situation." Lucius handed the cup over to Rodolphus and Bellatrix. Edgar could feel their fingers stain the pristine gold to a tarnished black.

They walked out of his vision but Edgar could still hear Bellatrix muttering, "why do I always have to miss the fun?"

"We'll have our chance my dear," reassured her husband before they disapparated off the front lawn.

"Since we're all friends here…" Lucius snidely joked, pulling Edgar's attention back to the scene before him, and removed his mask. The others followed.

Evan Rosier, Roman Wilkes, and Igor Karkaroff he recognized immediately for their various crimes while another Death Eater stayed masked, muttering about how unwise his fellows were. One face, though, left him almost speechless, near tears of regret. "Regulus… wha…why?" he stammered.

"Why? Ask my brother why!" Regulus jeered at Edgar, something that very much reminded him of Sirius.

"Now, Edgar. I am curious what made you think you could take the Dark Lord's belongings and get away with it." Lucius circled his wife again.

"It was taken from my family," Edgar said slowly trying not to enrage his tormentors.

"Crucio." Melissa screamed in pain again and it rang through the house. "Taken by your family just the same, twice now. How does that make you better than our great Lord?"

"I don't murder people!" Edgar shouted, losing control of his emotions for just a moment over the screams of his wife.

"What do you call what your lot did to Antonin's father?" asked Wilkes coldly.

"I don't murder innocent people." Edgar stated, regaining himself and making his point perfectly clear.

"Ah yes," Rosier said bitterly, "we're not innocent because what we're fighting for, no matter if we believe in it or not, is not what you approve of. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't fighting for what you believe in the Order's motto or something? Or is it to bring down those who stand against your views? Either way, doesn't sound so different to me."

"We don't torture and kill people because they are different. We don't murder to achieve our goals under a maniacally deranged master." Edgar knew he had to be careful, but he was irate. One wrong step out of line and they would all be dead before anyone could save them. It was a line he was getting very close to crossing.

However, no one would know they needed to be saved unless he could get a message to the Order. Edgar looked around while the Death Eaters talked candidly between themselves and saw his wand perched on a table next to his children. The placement was obviously a ploy to get his family to 'try something stupid' but they had no choice.

Edgar looked to his son, the oldest at only nine, and tried to indicate with his eyes what he needed him to do. Taylor, just like his namesake, was exceptionally intelligent for his age and knew what his father wanted immediately. He also knew the risk and moved his two crying sisters further behind him.

The motion was quick. Taylor grabbed the wand; cast the spell to free his father, which he had been taught for this very occasion; and tossed him the wand before turning to guard his sister's from any retaliation the Death Eaters sent towards them.

Yet what attacked his children was not a Death Eater, it was something much more heinous. Two swift and precise cracks filled their mother's ears as she closed her eyes in pain to the screams of her son.

"Perhaps, I'll keep the boy alive. Make him the son I never wanted," joked the gruff voice of Fenrir Greyback.

Melissa screamed in protest. "Crucio! Shut up!" yelled Wilkes irritated.

Edgar stood there, his wand on Lucius, his eyes on his children. Sarah and Annabelle, his two little girls who were not even old enough to understand why mommy was screaming, now lay in a crumpled heap next to Fenrir whose bloody mouth quivered playful close to his son's neck.

"What will you do Edgar? Save your life, save your wife's," as Lucius said this, Karkaroff grabbed hold of Melissa's hair and pulled her up with his wand at her throat, "or save your son's?"

Lucius stepped forward slowly, a slight smile tinged at the edges of his lips, "come now Edgar, what will you do? You can't save them both and your life is forfeit either way."

He moved closer, "no one's coming. They can't save you, we've seen to that." As Edgar's eyes narrowed with curiosity, the smile that had previously been hidden came into full view on Lucius' face, "the Order were fools to think we would hold such a pronounced meeting in such a public manner. As we speak, all your fellow members who attended are being tortured for information."

Edgar thought of Marlene and the others who had put their lives in danger earlier that night. She probably went home to see family too… "You all so willingly fell into our trap. While the rest of the Order run around hiding all those degenerate, useless mudbloods, it will be easier to keep track of them as we go after our true targets undeterred."

Lucius took another step toward Edgar and this time, he reacted, "Expecto Patronum!"

Rosier and Wilkes roared with laughter as a silvery white badger appeared between Edgar and Lucius.

"We're not Dementors my dear Edgar," Lucius mocked, "however we are flattered by the idea."

Edgar's mind was wild, blocking out all the sounds of the room so that the Death Eaters before him seemed to convulse like mimes pretending to laugh. One moment, one memory of this was all he could send. Edgar knew he had to make it quick before they discovered what he was doing, before they found how the Order communicated. The badger circled him and then seemed to swim away, disappearing into the night.

"Ha! Even your own patronus won't protect you!" jeered Regulus and the others soon followed, the sound of their laughter flooding his ears again.

There was another stomach-turning crack and the spiteful merriment stopped as they all looked to Fenrir. "Sorry," he said as he dropped Taylor's limp form onto the girl's, "couldn't help it."

He grinned a bloody smile and the others returned to their laughing, rejoicing in their newfound amusement. Melissa had no more tears left but her body still heaved hysterically as hot, silent tears burned Edgar's vision.

"Ah, Karkaroff put her out of her misery already will you?" came Regulus again, standing near the still masked Death Eater. Edgar's ears refused the words, but his brain could not ignore the tone. It was more bored and relaxed than cruel. It was painful how it reminded Edgar so much of Sirius.

"Why not let Fenrir have a go with something that can actually fight back," the masked Death Eater was calm, but Edgar could hear the sadism in his voice. It was one he knew but could not place, sounding almost like the head of the Magical Law Department. But the malice in his tone was unmatched, even by the stifling agony that already gripped Edgar's shattered core.

"You two will make the Dark Lord proud I am sure," Lucius smiled, pleased with their ruthlessness.

Karkaroff backed away and Melissa looked about wildly. She spun around and jumped up, only to collapse again. It was no test to see why terror gripped her legs; Fenrir was hunched low over her children's bodies and he sniffed them euphorically.

Then his eyes hardened and locked onto hers. The scream she sounded was nothing more than an inaudible whimper.

"You see Edgar," Lucius said with malicious brutality and lurid satisfaction in the eternity of seconds that passed, "forgiveness is the key to action and freedom. And oh yes, the Dark Lord forgives you. He forgives by taking the action of freeing your family from your blind idiocy."

Fenrir jumped, this time a scream sounded. Edgar reacted to save his wife, but before his wand could twitch in his hand, Lucius countered, "Avada Kedavra!"

He went down. His last sight was Melissa struggling against Fenrir; a heart shattering crack the last thing he heard.

"Come," said Lucius, causing the intensity of the evening to come to an abrupt halt. He replaced his mask, "let us go before someone shows up."

The masked Death Eater and Regulus were the first to disapparate, followed shortly after by Rosier and Wilkes. Lucius and Karkaroff almost trailed them back to the Malfoy estate but stopped when they noted that Fenrir was still playing with his latest victims.

"Fenrir," Lucius said aggravated but composed, "we have work to do. There will be plenty more little brats for you to torture later I'm sure." Karkaroff glanced to him with a smirk while Lucius thought of his wife's latest talk of starting a family.

Fenrir gave him a ferociously bloody, yet contented smile and then followed them out of the house under the glow of the dark mark hovering in the clear, starlight sky.


	4. Part Four: Hogwarts

**Lineage**

**Warnings:** Strong Violence, Sensitive Topic/Issue/Theme

**Era:** Various **Pairings: **Various Pairing

**Characters:** OCs, Helga, Voldemort, Regulus, Lucius, Fenrir, Hermione, Other Canon

**Summary:**

*Written for smileandfrown's 'Quote' challenge on HPFF* _These are the stories of Hogwarts and the family that called it home.__

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**Part Four: Hogwarts**

In the end, nothing remains but a memory. One that is happily forgotten…

Hogwarts Era: Susan

_**Authors Note:**__ This chapter is about war so don't be surprised with all the death and sadness. _

_The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time. – Mark Twain_

*For the family tree please see the images section in my profile*

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They all stood there, watching as their supposed leader, their uncalled messiah, told them to do nothing. Not to help him or start a revolution, just to stay hidden in the Room of Requirement and wait. It was something none of them agreed with and those closest to Harry voiced their opinions sternly.

There were several rounds of 'yes'' and 'no's' thrown about and everyone was getting very tense. Susan recoiled her body slightly closer to Ernie Macmillan and he put his arm around her. This much fantasized about return of the great Harry Potter was not going anywhere near the way they had all thought or planned.

The arguing was broken only by the sudden appearance of the ethereal Luna Lovegood as she walked in through the passageway behind Ariana's portrait. Several people followed her in and the circle around Harry became much more crowded.

In this new surge of people, the mood seemed to shift and Harry, after a brief discussion with his two closest friends, began to open up about what they were really up too. As Susan listened to the tale of the diadem and subsequently watched Harry and Luna leaving through the passage way into the castle, she wondered what any of this had to do with stopping Voldemort.

"Hermione," she said, trying to get to her friend before someone else engaged her in conversation. Susan grabbed hold of Ernie's hand on her shoulder, feeling it slip off as she moved, and dragged him along with her. There was no way she was letting him out of her sight, not when the idea of a war with Voldemort loomed so close to reality.

"Susan! Oh Susan, I am so glad you're here and safe too!" Hermione cried as she pulled her into a hug, adding Ernie to it when she saw how closely they were connected. "Is everything ok? What about Hannah and Justin?"

"As ok as it can be," Susan said simply, knowing there was no need to explain anything beyond that. Hermione had been in the thick of the battle that raged outside the castle walls, she knew far better than Susan if everything was ok or not. "And Hannah and Justin are still at home. Hannah never came back to school because of her mother and Justin is a Muggle-born so he's hiding out."

"Better be alright," Ernie added curtly, his voice showing the worry and anger they all felt towards not knowing if their loved ones were alive and well or broken and dead.

"Hermione!" Ron cried, suddenly beside them. "I just had a great idea on how to get rid of the…you know what." He pulled her slightly aside and Susan caught words like 'bathroom' and 'parseltongue' as they whispered hurriedly to each other.

Ernie wasn't paying any attention though as his eyes were fixed on the newest group of people emerging from behind the portrait. His closest friends, the two people he had just seconds ago been discussing worriedly, had just walked into the room. He let go of Susan and ran over to them, an act that caused her to look up and almost burst into tears of mixed joy and relief as she say what he was running towards.

She wanted to follow, wanted to fling her arms around her good friends that she had spent so many nights worrying over, but someone grabbed her arm and a loud crashing sound filled the room, seeming to come from all corners of the castle. It sent a shiver down Susan's arm and she looked over to see what was holding her back. When she caught Hermione's eyes however, her mind stopped protesting the grip.

"Susan I need you to do a favor for me," Hermione said and Susan looked over at Ron's puzzled face before asking what she would need. "Ron and I need to go somewhere, somewhere hidden, and we need someone to watch our backs so we don't come out to Death Eaters or worse."

Susan looked over at her friends rejoicing in their reunion and smiled as happily as she could manage when Hannah waved at her vigorously. She turned back to Hermione and puffed herself up so she looked stronger and braver than she felt. "What do you need me to do?" she asked, knowing full well that any mission Hermione was asking her to fulfill would lead directly to her face to face encounters with the people that had caused her family so much pain and strife over the years.

"Ron and I are going to the second floor, to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. We need people to guard the entrance so that no one can follow us and so we can get out safely." Hermione talked hurriedly and in an extremely hushed voice, making it hard for Susan to follow.

Yet she understood the most important part and knew it didn't matter if she had gotten the details. Susan looked over to her friends again and then back to Hermione, thinking about how she had just asked her to protect her very life. "I will get some people together and be ready."

"Thanks Susan! I know you're a strong witch and I trust you so much! But please be careful! I don't want anyone to get hurt," Hermione stammered as Ron was pulling at her arm and yelling that they needed to get moving.

Susan watched them leave the same way Harry and Luna had before she quickly ran over to her friends that had gathered off in a corner to talk. Hannah almost tackled her with a hug and Justin gave her one that nearly crushed her ribs. She was glad they were ok and that they were here to fight, but there were more pressing concerns on her mind at the moment and she wasn't about to let a friend who was putting their life in her hands down.

"We need to go, Hermione asked me to get some people to guard the second floor, Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," she said quickly and just as quietly as Hermione had. She had whispered the plan and so Susan knew it must be something that Hermione didn't want anyone else to known about. This was a mission solely for Susan to complete.

"Moaning Myrtle's bathroom?" Justin asked confused and the other's had faces that showed similar signed of non-understanding. Yet Susan didn't have time to explain or even time to corral them towards the exit as Harry Potter had just returned moments ago and was now staring at the new mass of faces in disbelief.

Remus Lupin, who had also come through the portrait tunnel recently, asked him what was happening and Harry said that everyone was being instructed to go down to the Great Hall to meet. Susan took this as her cue to get Justin, Hannah, and Ernie out of the room and into the castle so they could head towards the second floor.

But their quest was short lived as they ran into two prefects that ordered them to follow the rest of the crowd down to the Great Hall. Susan cursed to herself as she took a seat at the Hufflepuff table and hoped that Hermione and Ron were still doing ok. At least while the Death Eaters were still outside the castle grounds, she figured there was some leeway as to when she had to get to the prearranged guarding spot, but she in no way wanted to get there late and fail at her task.

As Professor McGonagall began to speak about evacuation, Susan's mind did not even think of the idea of leaving, of running away, and her psyche got an extra dose of encouragement as Ernie spoke up and asked about the people who wanted to stay and fight. Everywhere in the room, she could hear explosions of agreement and then waves of disappointment as Professor McGonagall said that only students of age would be allowed to stay. The spirit to not only defend the castle, but its foundations as well rang very strong with the younger population and Susan felt slightly sad that they were being denied their desire to partake.

She continued to listen to the Professor and grinned with just a hint of smug laughter when she heard about Headmaster Snape. It was a smile that soon faded from her lips though as a chill and menacing voice reverberated off the walls in every corridor. It was the voice of the Dark Lord himself, commanding them to turn over Harry Potter.

A voice behind her sounded, pointed out Harry, and suggesting they get him while they could. Susan jumped up in outrage and turned to face the owner of the voice who she knew as Pansy Parkinson. There was no way of mistaking that shrill, evil tone. And as she stood, turning to defend the better individual, the rest of the Hufflepuff table followed. Gryffindors and Ravenclaws stood as well, all facing down Pansy, wands drawn and ready to defend Harry against any Slytherin that darn make a move against him.

Professor McGonagall cut the tension swiftly however, before anyone had a chance to breathe the first syllables of a spell, and the tables began to empty. Susan was not surprised in the least to see the entire Slytherin table bare and looked over at who else would be staying to fight. So many had stayed, so many she felt insanely grateful for, felt insanely in love with for remaining to defend everyone who couldn't fight, everyone who was forced to leave.

"Knowledge is gained by learning; Trust by doubt; skill by practice; love by love." Susan quoted the words of her heritage and felt a renewed strength wash over her. Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry was finally getting a chance to show what they were made of, how well they taught the generations of students that had filed through its doors. Susan could not be more please that she would be a part of it, representing her family's long history in preserving the ideals of Helga Hufflepuff and the school.

"What's that mean?" asked Justin, not quite understanding why she was quoting something they had learned was once said by their house founder Helga Hufflepuff.

"Hufflepuff said that to my ancestor Annabelle on the first day of classes ever," Susan said, feeling the pride in that fact swell up but pushing it down as it was hardly the time to be boastful. "Its time we show we lived up to her words, come on!"

She pushed herself out of her seat and moved quickly towards the entrance, making sure the others stayed close to her in all the confusion. They rounded the edge of the doors, but didn't make it very far from them when Ernie noted the time, "it's almost midnight!"

Susan stopped, as they all did, and looked at the clock that hung in the entrance way. They had to hurry, but with all the students heading up the stairs to the seventh floor, she didn't know if they would make it before the battle began. She had to pressed on though, Hannah's hand gripped tightly in hers as they pushed through the other students to make it to the second floor corridor in one piece.

As they walked towards Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Susan began to think of how exactly this would work best. She had gathered Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbott, and Justin Finch-Fletchley to help her, that would mean two people on either end of the corridor. "Ernie and Hannah, you two guard the other end of the corridor and Justin and I will watch the end nearest the bathroom door."

"You want us to split up? Shouldn't we stay together and just guard the door instead?" Hannah asked, clearly nervous and letting the fear they all felt slip into the air between them.

"If we split up we can warn the others if we see someone coming and they can't back us all into a corner too," Ernie thought out loud and placed a reassuring arm around Hannah as he lead her away.

This was hard for her, Susan knew, having lost her mother to the Death Eaters. Susan had lost family too, a lot of family, and she was not about to let the bad guys win, much less join her lost relatives.

Screams shattered her reminiscences and the feelings of dread that the battle had finally begun crept into her veins. Shots of light began striking past them outside the windows, some even coming through and causing them to duck out of the way. Susan could hear Hannah scream as a crash sounded at the other end of the corridor.

She felt the desire to run, to save her friends from all this horrid nightmare could throw at them, but her feet stayed rooted to the spot and she watched the dust settle as she prayed for a miracle.

But nothing came. All she could see when the dust finally lay back on the ground was stone and pieces of wood from where the castle wall had been blown apart. It blocked the entire end of the hallway from her view and she looked over at Justin crazy with fear. "Don't worry," he pleaded, yet still felt the same agony as she did.

Hannah and Ernie could be buried in that rubble or they could have been scattered and run off to another part of the castle, perhaps they were even trying to find their way back around to meet them. Susan had to hold strong to that idea to keep herself from faltering. She turned back to face the other end of the corridor, feeling a bit reassured that nothing could come up behind her now, and aimed her wand at the very edge of the wall as it curled around to meet the adjoining passageway.

Yet a sound did come behind her. She wiped around, Justin following her movements as if he was her shadow, and their wands came to rest inches away from the noses of Hermione and Ron. Each of them let out a sigh of much needed relief and Justin asked what they had needed a bathroom for, noting the yellowish items they now carried in their arms.

"It's not important," Ron said quickly, trying to adjust the large amount of items he was holding. "Have you two seen Harry anywhere?"

"Not since we where in the Great Hall, he…" Susan was cut off by the sound of several thuds as the items Ron was trying to hold on to fell to the floor. A loud clanging sound mingled with them and Susan looked down to see the very item her ancestors had died for.

"How…" she stammered, unable to even fathom how or why they had Helga Hufflepuff's cup, much less why it was mangled and seemingly destroyed. "That's…"

Ron picked up the cup before making any move to grab the yellowish items that had also fallen. As he tried to fill his arms again, Hermione answered Susan as politely as her hurried mind could, "I'll explain later Susan I promise! But right now you and Justin should go out and see if anyone needs help."

They felt her there, staring blankly at the spot the cup had fallen, completely lost in memory. It was the bearer of the curse that brought death upon her family, the very reason that the Death Eaters had killed so many of her kin. She screamed, kicked at the air where it had been, and fell into a crumpled heap on the ground.

"Susan, come on," Justin said as he kneeled over her. "You're the strong one! Don't quite on me now!" His words cut deep. Deeper than even she could have imagined as she thought back to when she had learned about her families history with the Dark Lord and about the cup that haunted her their past.

"The fear of death," she said quiet enough so that Justin had to lean over her shoulder and place his ear on her cheek to listen as he continued to try and comfort her. "The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."

She was quoting something that Justin did not know or understand. It scared him though as he didn't want her to be thinking about such things, "Susan don't talk like that. We're not going to die."

Susan ignored him and stood up, causing him to fall over backwards before he too got to his feet. She stared blankly at the ruble that blocked the other end of the hallway, her expression unreadable. "I am prepared. I lived my life fully and I regret nothing." She said to the pile of stone and bits of timber. Justin looked over at her completely in shock; he could not believe his friend was saying she was ready to die!

Susan turned to face him and for the first time in several hours gave him a hearty smile, something which sent Justin's mind into thoughts that questioned her mentality. "Don't worry about me Justin. I'm not saying that I am going to die, just that I am prepared if I do. It's just an old saying my aunt used to tell me…" she trailed off as imagines of her Aunt Amelia came barging into her mind. Still smiling, still breathing, every vigilante…but apparently not vigilante enough and Susan pushed these thoughts out of her mind just as she had been doing with many others that night.

She shook her body vigorously, as if to free herself from a burden that had latched onto her form. "Come on, Hermione and Ron are done up here so we should join the fight." Justin watched her run towards the open end of the corridor and scratched his head at the strangeness of his friend's behavior before following. There was no denying that Susan had a reason to fight, he just wasn't sure why she was so eager to run off to do something that could possibly get her killed.

It didn't take long either as duels raged all over the castle and its grounds. Susan dodged a curse as Justin came up behind her and sent a jinx at the Death Eater that was trying to attack them. Another curse followed, along with several jinxes, crumbling surroundings, and screams that no one could even being to put into words. It was surreal to see Hogwarts as a battle zone, even to see a battle zone at all, but Susan and Justin continued to fight and protect as many injured students as they could.

But it was never enough. Everywhere they looked there was another battle and another Hogwarts student that was hurt or maybe even… For that very reason, Susan almost felt the urge to cheer as the Dark Lord's words filled the castle again and he announced that he would give them a one hour reprieve from the fighting.

Justin slumped into a heap where he stood and tried to catch his breath as Susan scanned the area in front of them. "We should help get everyone into the Great Hall to get healed," she said, not even acknowledging the other possibility. The possibility that some of the people she had gone to school with, spent seven years of her life with, were now dead.

She picked up a Ravenclaw boy under the arm and Justin jumped up to help her. They carried him into the Great Hall and set him on the raised platform where all the other injured appeared to be gathering. It didn't look like he was hurt bad, probably just a broken leg and a bang on the head, but as Susan watched all the people who had fought enter the hall, she began to realize just how bad things actually where. And this time no amount of pushing would make the thoughts disappear.

Bodies of the dead were lined up in rows on one side of the hall as more and more people approached the raised platform to get healed, some seriously injured. The scene was turning into a horror movie as people cried in anguish and wretchedness while others let out screams that shook her very core. So many dead…her body caved and she landed in a heap of shivers at Justin's feet.

Of all the deaths she had had to suffer through, of all the hardship her family had already faced with this war, she had never wished that on another soul. Now she could not bring herself to admit that she had failed in her mission to protect others from that pain. She had allowed Death Eaters to get past her, to curse and not only maim, but kill the people she was trying to protect. Justin tried comforting her, but there was no comfort for this. No words that could be spoken to ease the mind of a person who saw nothing but how they had failed.

She simply lay on the ground and watched as the faces of her peers turned to bereavement when they learned that a loved one had been taken from them. The Weasley family's pain burned into her mind and she had to look away, instead her eyes began to focus on a not to distant blonde haired girl that was sprawled over the body of what must have been a dear friend.

Susan stood, extremely unsteady on her feet and walked towards Hannah Abbott. Hannah was alive. Hannah…it was all she could think about, even the body that Hannah lay sprawled over became nothing more than a black patch in her vision. She fell to her knees near the girl and pulled back her hair, "Hannah." She looked up, moved just enough for Susan to see the face of whoever she had been crying over.

Ernie Macmillan. Ernie Macmillan was dead. Susan staggered upwards, her eyes scanning chaotically over the cold figures that lay around her. She saw not only one face she recognized but seven and that was only in the general area that she stood. The dead lay for several feet around her and her mind tried to grasp at the twigs of conscious thought she had left.

Justin grabbed her shoulders, appearing behind her and taking in the image of his dead best mate. He sunk to his knees and pulled Susan down with him to hold her in his arms along with Hannah. They stayed there, linked as one hopelessly lost soul, until another sound aside from the lament of mourning that consumed the Great Hall filled their ears. It was the Dark Lord's voice again, this time not menacing but cheerful. Harry Potter was dead.

That was the final straw; the final signal her brain needed to completely snap and she threw Hannah and Justin's arms from her. She stood up and marched out towards the entrance of the castle, beaten only by Professor McGonagall, Harry's two closest friends, and his ex-girlfriend. Their cries of pain no longer had any affect on her.

As more students gathered behind her and the others, Hannah and Justin again at her side, the Dark Lord silenced them, but his spell was easily broken by the sheer amount of power that their emotions held. Several times he cursed them to silence and several times they would break free, there was no stopping the anger they still felt towards the evil being that had brought all this upon them. So much so that one student broke away and tried to act him directly, Hannah gripped Susan's hand so tightly that her fingers went numb. It was Neville Longbottom.

He was punished of course and Susan covered Hannah's eyes as the sorting hat, which had been placed upon his head, was lit on fire. Neville was burning and every second became a life long moment as several students began to rush forward to help him. Everything became frozen in time a mere second later as flashes of scenes began to etch themselves into their minds. Giants and centaurs were fighting, people where rushing at them from the gate that led into the castle grounds, Neville had killed the Dark Lord's snake Nagini.

The battle was on again and nothing was spared this time. Family members of those who had stayed behind rushing into the castle along with the people of Hogsmeade and the centaurs who had come to assist, even the house elves had emerged from their kitchen and where now attacking the Death Eater's ankles with knifes. Susan lifted a few up into the air with her wand so that they had a better advantage in attacking the Death Eaters as Hannah shot off a hex in the other direction.

Everyone more towards the Great Hall and Susan followed the flow of action with Justin and Hannah on her toes. They fought with a renewed passion now; they were fighting for Ernie, for all their friends who still lay on the cold floor. As the defenders of the castle began to circle around the Dark Lord and his last remaining ally, Susan watch Bellatrix fall to Mrs. Weasley and her heart sent waves of approval across the room to her. Seconds later however, her heart stopped entirely as her eyes settled on an all too familiar and yet incredibly mystifying figure.

"His alive!" she shouted to Hannah and Justin as she gripped their arms in disbelief. But her friends didn't answer and Susan heard the hall fall into complete silence. She watched Harry and the Dark Lord circle each other, listened to their talk about how everything had played out.

It was fascinating and terrifying all in the same moment and Susan was only distracted from it by the sun finally appearing over the top of the Great Hall's ceiling. As the final spells where sent out, she did not cover her eyes. She could not bring herself to miss the final moments of the man that had caused her family so much pain. And as he fell defeated to the ground, she felt nothing but a calm finality that everything had been put in its place.

She turned back to Justin and Hannah but was surprised to find that Hannah had slipped away from her grasp and flung herself into the arms of Neville Longbottom. She was weeping for Ernie and exclaiming how scared she had been for Neville as he wrapped his arms around her to give her some meager slices of comfort. Susan smiled up at Justin, "my ancestors can finally rest in peace."

She gave one last look over at the body of the so-called invincible Dark Lord and sighed, relief filling every pour of her body, "and so can the rest of us."

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_And you thought I was talking about Roger Davies didn't you hehe...but you know what they say: all great wizarding families are related somehow ;)_


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